Rosie let him in; tilting her head until the angle was perfect. Her hands slid under his sleeves, rubbing sensual circles along his warm skin with her fingertips. She led without complaint; teaching him wordlessly and encouraging him with gentle moans. The fingers of her left hand found their way into Ren's hair at the base of his neck. She held his head securely as she leaned her body a little more flush against his. Her breasts pressed against his chest; soft and large and pretty impossible to ignore~
She'd gone into this little make out session fully intending to allow him to get as handsy as he wanted, and she demonstrated this by guiding one of his hands to her butt.
"You're really beautiful~" She whispered, in between breathless little kisses.
Ren moaned softly at the feeling of her hands on his skin and the feeling of her fingers in his hair. It was so gentle, far more gentle than he was used to, and yet the feeling was so intense all the same. He could feel her chest pressing against his, making his cheeks flush even more, but he didnât let himself get distracted from the kissânot just yet, anyway. Instead, he focused on mimicking her movements, and was able to keep pace pretty quick, losing his hesitancy and exploring her mouth at a slow, sensual pace. When she moved his hand to her butt, he gave it a squeeze almost immediately.
âYouâre gorgeous~â he breathed in return, deepening the kiss a bit more before pulling back and shifting slightly to plant kisses on her neck instead. His tail wrapped around her waist, almost as if trying to pull her closer still. Meanwhile, his other hand moved up into her hair, running his fingers through it.
"We shall~" Rosie pulled Ren over to the desk and took a seat in front of her pasta. She waited for Ren to sit before putting her hands together in prayer and shutting her eyes with a smile on her face. Inside, she was full of contentment, relief, excitement and gratitude.
"Thank you for bringing us together. Though we find ourselves in a sea of torment, so long as Ren and I are together, there is a little oasis of peace, even here. I promise to get out of here with him, and to live well, and find justice for the souls lost. I pray for our happiness. Both in general, and together~" â€ïž She opened an eye and looked at him, regarding him affectionately. She was a little surprised to see that he was already looking at her, but she didn't mind~ "Amen."  Dinner was scrumptious, and rightfully so, she'd poured love into each part of it. While eating, it was hard to keep her eyes off of Ren. "How is it~?"
"Amen~" He waited until she took the first bite to start eating, but then dug in, though his eyes rarely strayed from her. "It's amazing~ I think this is the best pasta I've ever had." Pleased, Rosie reached out a free hand to hold his, which he took eagerly. Â
"There's cake too~ Double chocolate." His eyes widened a bit at the sound of that. Â
"That's literally my favorite flavor of cake~Â Once we're done, do you want me to bring it up?"
"Help me bring the dishes down. We'll load them in the dishwasher and then cut ourselves cake~" Strade had definitely seen her preparing it, not to mention the fact that he'd bought the ingredients himself. Sooo, as much as she wanted to keep all of the cake for herself and Ren, she'd have to save Strade some undeserved deliciousness. "Then we'll come back up here, and enjoy cake and kisses~ Sound good?" He nodded, looking extremely pleased with that idea.Â
---
Rosie made a pitstop to her room, grabbing all of her pillows and some blankets too. Now that she knew Strade was willing to buy her things, she was considering a few other necessities, like a nice thick comforter~ She set up a little cozy nest for them, and then sat down next to Ren, who had both of their plates. She wrapped his tail around her lap, and the blankets around both of them, and snuggled closer, taking her share of cake.
"What's that cute thing the characters in your manga say before dinner?"
"Itadakimasu~" He answered, and Rosie followed suit, taking a bite. "Mmmm~" Chocolate was such a cure for the soul~ She watched Ren's expression eagerly as she chewed, and was pleased to see that he was really into the cake. After swallowing his bite, he turned to her and said; "This is incredible!" He snuggled against her. "You're amazing~" Rosie's eyes rolled back for a moment, and she was drunk on the straight hit of serotonin that was the combination of literal sugar and Ren's metaphorical sugary sweetness~ Fucking Hell she wanted to eat him up next~ After a pause, he looked back at her with a softer, almost shy expression. "You know, there's another phrase that doesn't really come up in anime a whole lot...."
"What phrase is that~?"
"Aishiteru. It means...well. Technically it just means 'I love you,' but it's not really the same as in English. My mom said it was 'daisuki da' yori ĆkÄ«, bigger than even really liking someone. I always wanted someone I could say that to."  He gave her a big smile. "And now I do~"
"!" That was a lot to take in, but in the best sort of way. Wasn't he being way too cute?? How was this even fair? Leaning in, she gave him a big kiss. What else could she possibly do? "Mi piaci cosĂŹ tanto~" She touched her nose to his and nuzzled, wishing things could stay just like this~ With much hesitation, she pulled away from more kisses to get back to the cake. Rosie was in the middle of commenting on how interesting it would be to grow up in a house where there were four languages being spoken at any time, when she suddenly gave herself a light face palming. Â
"Ren...We're huge dummies." Naturally, he looked confused. She tucked her fork into what was left of her cake and held it up to his mouth. "I was so caught up in first date bliss I forgot cheesy romance 101. Aaah~" It was a quiet sort of bliss to feed him, and when it was her turn to be fed, Rosie was hard pressed to look away from Ren for even a moment. With their plates cleared, she left the nest just long enough to place the dishes on top of Renâs desk to be dealt with later. She moved the blankets aside for a bit, just long enough to get back under them. Instead of sitting beside Ren, however, she sat right on his lap, straddling him. She wrapped the blankets back around them and wrapped her arms around his neck. âYou wanna make out~?â Even if it might seem a little silly to ask now, after theyâd shared many kisses, Rosie was determined to get the clear and enthusiastic consent Ren deserved~
His ears perked when she offered him a piece of cake, happily taking a bite and moaning softly at the taste. Putting the food into her mouth was even more enjoyable âhe didn't take his eyes off of her, even for a moment.
Once Rosie returned to their little nest, she got in his lap, causing him to give her a slightly flustered smile before cuddling up to her.
Asking if he wanted to make out with him was, at this point, a pretty silly question. They'd already kissed, after all. But then why was his heart racing at the thought?
'Making out' was different than just kissing. He'd never actually done it, but he knew it required more. After nodding, he moved closer, and decided to start with what he knew. Maybe she'd take the lead? Surely someone as pretty as her had made out with people before.
He placed his hands carefully at her shoulders and leaned in to press his lips against her, just as they had a short while ago. She was just as warm and soft as before, but now she tasted of cake too. It was a heavenly feeling.
After a moment of savoring the kiss, Ren slowly parted his lips, tentatively moving his tongue to her's as if asking permission to enter.
[Image Description: Photo of an older cellphone model with a text message reading: "I still miss you but i don't want you back anymore." End Image Description.]
It made sense that he was hesitant to meet them. Though he'd made friends withâŠPoor LawrenceâŠEasily enough, that had been online over a few months, right? It was different when it started online. You didn't have to react 'in the moment'. Watching Ren's expressive face, she could tell that he was frustrated with himself and was pleased when he asked for more information about her friends.
"Aaron's always loved basketball. He plays for the Sunset Valley Dragons!" The Dragons were just a local team, playing for fun against other minor leagues in the state for now, but they had a respectable following online~ "He's into stuff like crystals and tarot, and he got me into it too~ For work he's a social media manager for ah," She slid off of the bed, and dug through her vanity for the make-up she'd used on Ren's face earlier. "Briar Hills Cosmetics. He runs all of their social media accounts."
"And! He does my make-up before performances. He's really good, check it out~" Opening up her laptop, she went to her Facebook and scrolled through her photos from an album titled 'La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty)'. With the make-up Arron had done for her, she'd become even more beautiful. There was a picture of Rosie and Arron in the dressing room as he applied her lipstick.
"So that's Arron~ Now, you may or may not be thinking, 'hey, why do these photos look so professional and fabulous?'" Even if he hadn't been thinking it, it was certainly true. Every photo in the album looked like it had been taken by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. "That's because Marcia took them! She's a photographer and a videographer. She specializes in weddings, parties and sporting events. And like, check this out!" Going to Marcia's Facebook, Rosie giddily showed off Marcia's art. Apart from the types of shoots Rosie had listed, there were also really cool fantasy themed photo shoots. "She never misses an opening night of mine, and she'll use me as a model whenever she can hehe~" A single glance at her Instagram boasted a healthy follower count, primarily because of the sexy pics of herself and her boyfriend.
"Since he's coming too, I'll tell you about Chris. He's a boxer. I've been to a few of his matches. He's really good~ He's very sweet too, though he might be kinda quiet around you at first. Don't take offense to that, he's still likeâŠFiguring himself out."
If Ren had anymore specific questions, Rosie answered them happily. She quite enjoyed talking about her friends~ After dinner, the duo managed a bit more packing before settling down and getting ready for bed.
---
The next day, Rosie was awoken by a phone call from Marcia, who had gotten up early. She jovially bullied Rosie out of bed, and wanted to know what she was hungry for. Yawning, Rosie headed for the bathroom to get her day started. One shower and a change of clothes later, Rosie was feeling refreshed and ready to jump into day two of packing.
"Ren~ Wake up, Marcia and Chris will be over in thirty minutes."
Ren listened intently to everything Rosie said about each of her friends, commenting here and there on the quality of Aaron's or Marcia's work as she showed them to him. To his pleasant surprise, it seemed like he actually did have something in common with each of them...sort of.
Aaron was skilled with make-up, and while he couldn't do the kind of stage make-up Aaron seemed to excel at, he did know the basics well enough to conceal the marks on his face for years. Marcia had interest in photos and film, and while he wasn't an expert in that by any stretch of the imagination, he had developed something of an interest for video over the past few years. Chris, despite having no common hobbies or interests with him, was the one Ren probably related to most. Quiet and still figuring himself out...he could defintely relate to that.
After thanking Rosie for sharing the info about her friends, Ren and Rosie had dinner and finished a bit more packing before washing up and heading to bed. Ren woke to the next day to the sound Rosie talking to (presumably) one of her friends on the phone. He tried to feign sleep a bit longer as she headed into the bathroom, but dropped the act as soon as the door closed.
Rosie's announcement after leaving the bathroom snapped Ren out of his thoughts.
"Wha-what?"
Even if she had established some things he had in common with her friends, he did not fell prepared to meet them so soon. Then again, would he ever feel prepared?
"I-I mean cool! I should uh...go get ready!" He quickly headed to the bathroom to wash up, get dressed, and apply his make up. Once done, he took a deep breath, hid his ears and tail, and exited the bathroom with a smile. It only faltered slightly when there was a knock on the door.
Rosie opened the door to a young woman holding two takeout bags from the local deli. She's had long, thick, shiny black hair up in a high ponytail, clear, olive skin, and sharp brown eyes. She was dressed in an expensive looking purple jogging suit with the word 'King' written down the side. The tall, muscular brunette standing beside her was Chrisâhe recognized both of them from the photo Rosie had shown him earlier, though it certainly felt different to meet them in person. Chris as somehow even taller than he expectedâthe picture didn't really do that justice..
"Hi!! We're here, baby~!" Marcia said excitedly. Was it normal for friends to call each other 'baby'?
"Thank you for coming~!" Rosie replied with equal excitement. "I know it's crazy short noticeâ"
 "Pfft." Marcia waved her hand dismissively as she walked in and set the food.
Chris stepped in next holding coffee and juice, waving at Rosie with his free hand before carefully shutting the door behind him. Something about his mannerisms reminded Ren a little of Lawrence too. Ugh.
"Hey, Rosie" Chris said, walking over to talk to her.
He had no idea what happened next though, becasue suddenly Marcia was right in front of him, looking him over appraisingly.She had the exact opposite energy of Chris.
"The name's Marcia. You're Ren, eh? Nice to meet you."
"Oh! Uh, thank you. I meanâ" Thank you?? God, he really had to get a grip. Ren took a breath.
"Nice to meet you too." Ren kept his eyes firmly on her face when looking at her, afraid that having them stray anywhere else would give the wrong idea. Feeling like he should say something else, he added, "Rosie's told me a lot about you." Marcia's expresion melted into something...almost mischievous?
"Oh yeah~? What'd she say~?"
Ren only paused a moment, his mind automatically trying to figure out what to say and what not to say, when realized that he could probably just be honest here. He was only told good things, after all.
"That you're extremely talented in photography and film. She showed me your work, it's some of the best I've ever seen. I don't I've ever seen such a variety from a single artist before either." To be fair, he hadn't met a lot of photographers either, but it still wasn't a lie! In any case, the answer seemed to make her happy. Chris came over a moment later, chuckling softly before holding out his hand.
"Hey. I'm Chris King. Nice to meet you." Ren reached out to grasp it, expecting a very firm shake. But Chris's hold seemed more gentle than even Ren's, making him loosen his own grip a bit as he smiled back at him. Before he could say anything in return though, Marcia cut in.
 "Chris is a boxer ya know~ He's really comin' up!" Ren noticed Chris blush a little before Marcia once again stole his full attention by suddenly swinging an arm around his shoulders.  "You good with loud crowds? If you're gunna hang out with Rosie you're gunna hang out with us~"
"O-oh well, I mean I haven't been in a large crowd in a while..." he admitted.
After her bath, Rosie had crawled under her blankets and waited in the dark for what felt like an eternity. She listened to the sound of Ren leaving his room and entering the bathroom for his own bath and trusted him to listen out for Strade before coming to see her, which she was strongly willing him to do. Eventually, she heard his voice outside of her door, and she couldnât help the needy way her own voice cracked when she responded. He closed the door behind him and Rosie started moving her pillow and blankets out of his way. Once he was in reaching distance she pulled him as close as possible and wrapped herself around him. Absolutely miserable, she moved his stupid collar as out of the way as she could so she could tuck her head under his chin. Fresh tears welled up in her ears as she clung to him. She whimpered whenever she thought about the woman in the basement and what theyâd done to her. Â
Ren held her tightly, letting her cry, and tearing up a bit himself. After a moment or two, he started to rub her back and gently wrapped his tail around her after adjusting the blankets to cover them both. Rosie shut her eyes and focused on Ren. She listened to his breathing and his heartbeat. She appreciated the smell of his body wash and the softness of his skin. She enjoyed the fluffiness of his fur. Ren...
"R-ren we have to....We have to pray...Ren..." It vaguely occurred to her that she might have been asking too much, after all, Ren hadnât mentioned being particularly religious. Thankfully, he seemed willing to try.
"How...how do we do that?"
"W-We should be on the floor but...Letâs just do it in bed this time...Ugh...I wish I h-had my rosary." She was fortunate to have not taken it with her to the diner the night sheâd met Strade. Not only would her Grandmotherâs rosary have been destroyed in the kiln, Strade would have even more ammunition to use against her for psychological torment. She really, really, really, had to hide her religion from him; it was up there with âmy friendship with and crush on Renâ on her list of things she couldnât let that lunatic know about. Rosie put her hands together and had Ren do the same. She snuggled closer once they were both ready. âJust make a wish, Ren.â Best to keep things simple. âAsk God to take care of that woman. And...To open up a path home for us.â Ren made his wish in silence, while Rosie whispered her prayer under her breath. Though she started in English, she eventually transitioned to Italian. She was trembling as she prayed, her hands clasped together tight enough to be uncomfortable. When sheâd reached the end of her prayer, she wrapped her arms back around her friend. âIâm so sorry he did that to you...â She whispered. Ren, arms wrapping back around her in return, blushed a little as she spoke. Â
âO-Oh.â She felt his tail along her back, its presence adding an extra sense of security. âIâm...Iâm sorry he did that to you...All of it.â He clung to her. âA-And Iâm sorry that I...W-Well...â It wasnât hard to figure out what he was apologizing for. Even though sheâd been aroused by the sight of him at the time, with a clear head, she could see why heâd be disgusted by himself. She nuzzled her cheek against his.
âIâm not mad at you...Itâs not your fault. Being here with him is so confusing, a-and the body can be so weird...â She sniffled. âAnd heâs the one that made you take it out.â She heard Ren let out a small sigh of relief.
âY-Yeah I...I guess youâre right.â He smiled ever so slightly to himself, if only for a moment, and then looked at her more seriously. âYou too though. You donât have to feel bad about...â Rosie perked up, regarding him with big ol vulnerable eyes. She knew he was referring to her masochism, the thing Strade had seriously used against her tonight. â....Thereâs nothing wrong with you.â Said Ren firmly. Rosieâs bottom lip trembled.
"I...I wish it wasn't him though...Like...Like if I have to like....Pain or whatever." Was it just the pain? She was scared when he shoved her down, but it also sent a thrill through her. There was something about him pinning her down that she couldnât get out of her head either. There was a word for it...  âI would have had an easier time accepting it if Iâd figured this stuff out with a nice boyfriend that got rough in bed, rather than that awful bastard. Then I wouldn't want to die about it..." Ren nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." He reached up to dry her eyes a bit. âHeâs the problem.â It was nice to hear Ren say that. To know that he understood. Rosie held Renâs face in her hands and kissed his forehead.
âNot you though. Never you.â
âYou think so...?â Ren had such a cute little smile that Rosie thought about kissing him again. Before she could, however, Ren was the one to move closer. Rosieâs heartbeat started going crazy, even when he changed his obvious trajectory towards her mouth and pressed his lips to her cheek instead. âIâm so glad I met you.â He whispered. Â
Rosie, stunned by the jolt of adrenaline and pleasure that had just shocked her system like a lightning bolt, was at a loss for words for several seconds. A blush spread across her face, and, to stop herself from grabbing him and kissing him and making love to him right now, she buried her face against his chest, gasping softly and trembling in his arms from the effort of self-restraint.
âNot like this not like this not like this-â Eventually, she was able to speak. âMe too. Ren~â She chanced a cheek kiss of her own, but then went back to hiding. âI wish we could fall asleep together...â She whispered. Ren nodded, cuddling her close.
"So do I...I'd give anything just to stay here with you all night. But maybe...we can rest for a little while longer." It was the best they could do so long as they were under Stradeâs roof. Rosie agreed, and rested against him in silence until she drifted off in his arms. Sometime in the middle of the night, Ren had to sneak out, leaving her to a thankfully dreamless sleep.
----
Over the weekend, Rosie did blessedly little. Other than read, eat, sneak cuddles with Ren, and sleep, she didnât have the energy for much else. On Monday, she was determined to distract herself from thoughts of Friday night by coming up with an actual plan for confessing to Ren. Fairly confident that sheâd get a positive response after heâd nearly kissed her a few days ago, she still wanted it to be lovely and memorable. It was a simple plan; dinner and dessert in his room as a date. Romantic music. Hold his hand and tell him she liked him. Ideally sit on his lap and make out with him. Let him get handsy. Perfect~ For the dinner she had in mind, she would ask Strade for the necessary items during his next shopping trip, that was easy. The difficult bit would be dressing up, at least a little. The only things sheâd been wearing for weeks was a rotation of Stradeâs shirts and her own panties. Sheâd seen Ren in different shirts since that first night in the basement, and they were in his size, so he must have gotten them somehow. Realizing she was going to have to take the risk and talk to Strade about this, Rosie climbed out of bed and headed downstairs.
She heard the tv long before reaching Stradeâs little gutter rat room. She grimaced at the sight of the chop shop and pushed herself away from it as quickly as possible. Sitting on the couch and sipping a beer was Strade, lounging comfortably and looking almost a bit sleepy. Rosie approached him and he glanced up at her with a lazy grin.
âStrade, would it be possible for me to get something else to wear?â
âHmm~ Like what? Pretty dresses?â He was teasing her, but he was also right on the money.
âYeah, but also like, proper pajamas, something thermal for when it gets cold, socks, shirts and skirts maybe. Would that be possible?â He motioned with his finger for her to turn around, and when she did she was facing his computer.
âGo on then.â Oh! Sheâd be doing the shopping herself! For some reason, sheâd had it in her head that heâd go to the mall and come back with a mish mash of items that sheâd have to turn into some sort of coherent outfit.
âAh~ Thank you.â She sat down. âUm, price limit?â He snorted.
âIf thereâs something you canât have, Iâll delete it.â Pleased, Rosie got to work. While shopping, Rosie tried to keep a few rules in mind. If she got something with long sleeves or pants, she made sure that the fabric would be easy to push aside or remove, or sheâd have to accept the risk of Strade getting overly excited and cutting it out of his way. She picked pretty clothes in fun colors, but also a black variant of everything, which sheâd exclusively wear in the basement. She got a few hair accessories too, and nail polish, because why not? Occasionally, she decided to risk adding in a few items that werenât clothing related. A few new books, something to draw with, a stuffed animal, etc... When it was time for Strade to look over her cart, he poked fun at a few of the items. âWhoâre you trying to look pretty for, hmm?â Suspicious of a trap, Rosie shrugged.
âIâm a girl, Strade. I like cutesy things.â Thankfully, that excuse worked.
-----
Two days later, Rosie and Ren sent Strade to the store with a list of items to buy for the kitchen. Once heâd returned, she started putting things away, segregating the items she planned to use for the surprise date. She asked Ren not to touch them as well, hinting that she had a surprise coming for him soon~ Â
That same night, while lying in bed too nervous to sleep, she heard heavy footsteps climbing the stairs. Ren was typically very light footed, so she knew right away that it was probably Strade. Sheâd never actually seen him bothering to come all the way up here to the top floor, so she was equal parts nervous and curious. She heard him open up Renâs door, checking on him before changing his mind and opening up the door to her room instead. Sheâd shut her eyes before heâd let himself in, and if he knew she was faking it, he didnât acknowledge it. Strade yawned, collapsing on the bed in a way that jostled Rosie enough that it should probably âwake her upâ. She made a face at him in the dark and groaned, to which he laughed.
âWhat an expression! What~? A man canât sleep in his own bed?â Â
âAt this point I honestly thought you lived in the basement full time.â He snorted, grabbing her arm and moving her body so that when he squished her close, his front was pressed against her back. He didnât smell great, though she was fairly used to that at this point. She made a mental note to wash her sheets in the morning and tried to get comfortable. Heâd used her as a teddy bear before, back when sheâd still been chained up beside the couch. Even though he smelled bad, he snored, and he could get a bit grabby, he was warm enough to be sort of cozy, and soon enough they both managed to pass out.
----
In the morning, Ren came into her room to ask her something, and she looked at him helplessly from under the sleeping mess that had climbed half on top of her in the middle of the night.
On the 30th of June, two exciting things happened. The first was the ringing of the doorbell, and the arrival of a package that Strade signed for. Rosie brought her box upstairs, where she and Ren dug into the numerous packages sheâd received. Though she showed him most of the new clothes (saving one of the dresses for herself) she didnât try them on just yet, wanting to run them through the washer and dryer first. Once they were clean, however, she slipped into one of the casual dresses. Ah, finally. Cuteness achieved~
The second thing that happened was the scheduled return of Dr. Handsome Kojima, here to do a health check. Rosie stepped into the living room and asked to go first, knowing that Strade and Sano would more than likely leave together to go on a friend-date (or a date-date?? What WAS going on there anyway?) after all the check-ups. She sat down on the living room couch with clean and brushed hair, a pretty dress, and all around looking better than she had the last time heâd seen her, all things considered. Sano took her blood and checked her vitals and any recent wounds. They propped her foot up on something so he could examine it. Though still with a bit of a limp, her poor foot was making great progress, no doubt greatly helped by how well she cleaned and dried the wound. Â
"It's healing well. I'd say a few more weeks and it should be as good as new." Dr. Kojima looked at her pensively a moment before turning over to Strade, who was in the middle of looming over Ren on the couch and getting handsy enough to cause Ren some genuine concern. "Strade, I could finish healing her foot." Strade looked over at Sano.Â
"Oh yeah, with the glowy hands." ...Huh? Strade rubbed his chin as he thought it over. "What for?"Â
"It's almost fully healed anyway, and at this point, it's just going to be an inconvenience to you both. No sense in waiting." Thankfully, Strade shrugged, moving away from Ren and plopping down right next to Rosie instead.Â
"Watch him closely~" Permission granted, Sano brought his full attention to her foot and removed his gloves. He pushed his hair away from his other eye so he could see better, and placed his hands near the wound. Almost touching; but not quite. Soon enough, his hands start to glow a faint blue. In less than a minute, her foot is as good as new, and Rosie, initially stunned silent, is quickly overcome with awe and curiosity.Â
"That's incredible!! So you're a surgeon and a wizard? Were you born able to do that? Do you use them interchangeably at work? Is it like a mana thing? Where there's a limit to how much magic you can use in a day? Can you do other sorts of magic?" The questions kept coming. Strade, highly amused, just laughed and patted her head.Â
"I told you, didn't I? Always with the questions~"Â
Sano smiled at Rosie for the first time. He looked pleased rather than annoyed.Â
"It's fine. It's only natural to be curious. I'm not a wizard per se, but I can use magic. It's a learned skill, though I do like to think that I have some natural talent for it. I use it at work only when needed, since as you can imagine, it's not a procedure covered by any insurance." Rosie giggled. "I... Wouldn't call it 'mana'. But there is a limit, just like there is a limit to any action. It expends energy. And yes, I can do other sorts of magic." As a demonstration, he conjured a small blue flame in his left hand. "Elementals, basic things like that...I specialize in medical magic though." Rosie had his full attention. Looks aside (and make no mistake, those looks were fabulous), he was blowing her mind right now. Renâs mere existence had, upon reflection, been a major shock, a peek into the hidden world around her. Kitsunes!! Magic!! What else was out there?? Â
"How'd did you learn? From a book? Or a magical sensei~?"
"I had a teacher, yes~"
The two of them went back and forth like this until Strade, either getting a bit bored or antsy or whatever, decided to ruin their cozy mood and started playing with Rosieâs hair. He leaned down so he could âwhisperâ into her ear.
âIsnât Sano incredible? And look at you all energetic and interested. Youâre giving me some good ideas.â Rosie, not quite sure what he could be hinting at in this case, nearly took the bait.
"...No. Nevermind. I won't ask what kind."
"HAHAHAHA!"Â Unfortunately for her intellectual curiosity, it was clear that theyâd have to continue this chat next time (assuming there was one).
Next, it was Renâs turn, and Rosie stepped into the kitchen. Her dinner plans included a double chocolate cake, and if she wanted it to be done in a timely manner, she needed to get started on it now. She listened to Renâs check up as she worked, keeping an ear out for any instructions the doctor had. Sheâd been putting a serving of veggies onto Renâs plate whenever she cooked, since she remembered Dr. Kojima told him he was lacking in nutrition. Finally it was Stradeâs turn, though his check up took the longest because Strade kept getting distracted and telling Sano about something he was excited about. Unfortunately, a decent portion of his material included their more recent âguestsâ, so Rosie tried to shut that out. Ren slipped his way into the kitchen, intending to help cook, but Rosie was having none of it.
âNot today~ Go upstairs and wait for me, okay?â She shooed him out of the kitchen, and went back to work. Eventually, Strade and Sano were about to head out. Rosie reminded him to take the trash with him, and finally they were off, leaving Rosie to fantasize that this was her beautiful house, her beautiful kitchen, and she was making a meal for her cute and fluffy boyfriend in peace~
When the chocolate cake was cooling, and the creamy shrimp pasta was nearing completion, Rosie made her way back upstairs and stopped outside of Renâs room. Â
âRen, dinnerâs almost ready~ Do me a favor, okay? Donât open the door yet. Put on whatever you have thatâs nicest.â She went into her room, pulling out the (now clean) dress sheâd kept hidden from him and changing into it. It was red and glittery with sheer sleeves. It stopped half-way down her thighs and showed off her breasts. Strade had asked about this one, since it was less cozy and more alluring and sheâd pointed out that it was extra glittery and sometimes she felt like being glittery. Â
âRen and his Asian Cartoons. I guess itâs you and your glitter, hm~?â Heâd said, rolling his eyes. Once Rosie felt sufficiently pretty she went downstairs to clean up and make two plates, leaving Stradeâs serving in the fridge. She called to Ren inside. Â
âAll set~? Okay keep your eyes closed while I set up.â Once she got the all clear, she eagerly set their places at his desk. She slid his computer desk into place and went back downstairs for another chair, and then two glasses of juice. She booted up one of his video games, one heâd shown her to be romantic in nature, and navigated to the music menu, selecting a song on repeat to act as background music. With everything set up, she moved over to her boy and helped him to stand. She stood over by their dinner, all big smiles and beautiful and bursting with nervous excitement.
To his relief, she accepted his hug, pulling him closer almost immediately. Ren tried to comfort her as best he could while she cried, quietly finding solace in the closeness himself. When Rosie finally spoke, her request caught him off-guard. Heâd prayed at home during New Yearâs with his family growing up, but he sincerely doubted Rosie was suggesting they start bowing or clapping. How did prayer work for her anyway? She mentioned the floor and a rosary, the latter of which he only had a vague idea about from TV shows. All the same, he figured it would comfort her to pray with her, and maybe heâd find some comfort in it too. Ren folded his hands the way she showed him and closed his eyes.
Please, if anyone is up there, look after that poor woman. AndâŠ.please help us get home. OrâŠout of here anyway. Help Rosie get home.Â
To his surprise, Rosie spoke her âwishâ aloud. Was he supposed to do the same? Well, it seemed rude to interrupt her now. He continued silently on his own, opening his eyes only once to check on her when she started speaking in another language. Was that part of it too? Ren quietly went back to his own prayer until he felt her arms wrap around him again.
Rosie seemed to take his reassurance well, and he was glad to hear that it was more Strade than her own pleasure that distressed her. Of course, Strade was usually the problem.
âNot you though. Never you.â
Ren smiled. Despite her earlier reassurances that she wasnât mad about the nightâs events, somehow these five words were what truly confirmed it for him. It really felt like she was saying âI donât see you as a problem.â And that was newâa soft, safe, warm, and happy feeling. He never felt like that, not even with Strade. As he gazed into her soft, gentle eyes, Ren suddenly felt overcome with the desire to kiss her. He started moving toward her lips, only catching himself at the last second to plant the kiss on her cheek instead. After tonight, the last thing he wanted to do was force somethingâanything on her.
After their talk, they rested together for a bit before he had to slip away back to his own room. Once he was back in his nest of blankets, Ren drifted off, thinking of Rosieâs reaction to that kiss. Had she known what he was about to do?
----
The next few days were relaxing, with most of his time spent cooking, playing video games, or spending some secret time with Rosie. As usual though, it didnât last. A few nights later, just as Ren was drifting off to sleep, he heard heavy footsteps come up the stairs and down the hall to his room. His mind racedâshould he look up when Strade came in, or would that encourage him? Should he act like he was asleep, or would that annoy him? Heâd learned a lot about Strade since coming here, but it was almost impossible to read his current mood without even seeing him. Either way, the fact that he was up here at all was probably not a good sign.Â
In the end, Ren remained frozen in place, eyes closed as he heard the door open. For the next few seconds, he barely dared to breathe. Then the door closed again, and the footsteps moved back down to the other side of the hall. Ren barely let out a tiny sigh of relief before realizing that Strade was probably going to Rosie instead. Newly tense, he strained his ears to hear anything that might clue him in to what was going on. He heard the faint sound of a groan, the low rumble of voices, and a familiar laugh. But no screamsâthat was a good sign, right?
After falling into an uneasy sleep, Ren got up to check on Rosie the next morning, only to find her looking back at him from under Strade. Relief washed over him as he gave her a small smile and left as quietly as he came.Â
----
During package delivery day, Ren was surprised to see packages for Rosie alongside his. It was largely clothes, both functional and just plain pretty. He smiled and nodded at the outfits she showed off encouragingly, but was very mindful of the fact that Strade was watching too. He didnât dare tell her how absolutely gorgeous sheâd look in each one.
Later that same day, Doctor Kojima came over for a routine visit. Rosie went first, so Ren took a seat on the sofa to watch quietly until it was his turn. Unfortunately for Ren, Strade got bored of doing the same pretty quickly. Suddenly, Strade had an arm around him, pulling him flush against his slide as he started playing with his ears. Physically, it felt just as nice as it always did, but any chance of relaxing was ruined by the increasingly eager expression Strade had fixed on him all the while. Soon enough, Stradeâs hands wandered under Renâs shirt, and his teeth moved perilously close to his ears. He could feel Stradeâs breath pick up, his grip tightenâŠ
"Strade, I could finish healing her foot."Â Â
Never in his life had he been that relieved to hear Dr. Kojimaâs voice. Both Ren and Strade looked over toward him but only Strade seemed to know what on earth he was talking about. Stradeâs hands slid away as his attention shifted to the other two, leaving Ren to silently wonder what the heck 'glowly hands' meant.
It didnât take long to find out.
Ren watched in wonder as Dr. Kojima literally healed Rosieâs wound the rest of the way, seemingly by magic. As it turned out, literally by magic. Could he always do that?? Heâd known from the moment he met the man that Dr. Kojima wasnât entirely human, but he still didnât know what he was, and certainly didnât dare ask. Rosie had no problem asking all sorts of questions though. Dr. Kojima didnât seem to mind either; in fact, he almost seemed to enjoy it.Â
Renâs check-up went about the same way it always did. Dr. Kojima commented on his diet after doing some bloodwork, doing so in such a way that Ren felt compelled to mutter an apology. It wasnât that it was scolding per se, and certainly not angry, justâŠdisappointed, maybe? Either way, Ren's response was completely ignored. Other than that, Dr. Kojima checked his vitals and examined some of the more newly-healing wounds for infection. The whole appointment was markedly quieter than Rosieâs.Â
Once he was done, however, Strade talked enough for the both of them. Ren slipped out as soon as he could to help Rosie in the kitchen, trying to tune out the conversation Strade was having with Sano, especially when it started to focus on him and Rosie. To Renâs surprise, Rosie gently shooed him out of the kitchen, leaving him to head to his room and wonder what she was up to. Some sort of surprise for him surely, but what?Â
Soon enough, the smell of chocolate, pasta, shrimp, and something dairyâcream maybe?âmade its way up to his room, and he realized she was probably making dinner for them to share. While the gesture was certainly appreciated, he couldnât help but continue to wonder why they werenât making it together like usual.Â
He perked up eagerly as soon as Rosie came back upstairs, but again, she surprised him by not opening the door.
âRen, dinnerâs almost ready~ Do me a favor, okay? Donât open the door yet. Put on whatever you have thatâs nicest.â
âOh uhâŠokay!â Whatever he had that was nicest? Ren thought back to her recent purchases. Maybe she was looking for something formal?
But he didnât own anything like that! Most of what he had in his room was T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, and that one pair of pants and long-sleeved shirt for the colder days. Since the latter two items were more pajamas than anything else, he decided to go with whatever else had the least stains and tears. In the end, he chose a simple black V-neck T-shirt and knee-length dark tan shorts. Unfortunately, he really had nothing for his feet, but Rosie tended to go barefoot too, didnât she?
Not long after he heard Stradeâs car drive away, Rosie came back up with yet another unusual request: keeping his eyes closed while she âset upâ something in his room. Ren shut his eyes obediently.Â
âAlright, come in.â
He sat there quietly, eyes closed but ears fully alert as he tried to figure out what she was doing. He heard the soft clink of plates and glasses, he heard furniture sliding along the floor, he heard her leave and come back with some additional piece of furniture, and he heardâŠ.was that Persona 5 main menu music? But then he heard the soft sound of her navigating the menu options. The song that played next was one he recognized from the date scene when you maxed out your relationship with a certain character.Â
And then it all clicked into place. The secret meal, the pretty outfits, whatever she was setting up right nowâŠthis was a date. An overwhelming mixture of excitement and anxiety twisted together in his gut. The closest Ren had ever been to a real date wasâŠactually, he really didnât want to think about that right now. But a date with Rosie! Heâd dreamed about it, sure, but never in a million years did he think heâd get to actually do it. Ren felt his heart racing when Rosie finally came over and led him to his feet.Â
"Okay~! Open your eyes!â
After taking one last deep breath to try and calm himself, Ren opened his eyes. His mouth fell open less than a second after, and for a moment, he just stood there gaping at her in absolute awe.Â
Of all the beautiful things she bought, he was 99% sure that dress was not one of them. Or at least, not one he remembered seeing. His eyes trailed down her figure quickly at first, taking it all in, but moved back up more slowly, pausing completely at her chest before making their way back up to her radiant smile.
"You...you look..."Â
"Amazing~"
For a split second, his gaze moved to his desk. It was set for twoâeach place with a glass of juice and a bowl of creamy shrimp pasta. His eyes moved back to her.
"You made all of this forâŠâ he almost said âmeâ, but caught himself, â...us?â
âHeh~ Yes, I did.â
Ren tensed up a bit as Rosie walked closer, his heart hammering violently in his chest. The moment he felt her hands around his though, it began to slow.Â
âI hope you like it,â she continued. âItâs a date~â
Heâd figured that much out by this point, but hearing her actually say it made his heart skip a beat.
âYeahâŠâ
âI love it~â All at once, he was overcome with the same soft, warm, safe feeling heâd had a few nights ago before kissing her. âThank you, Rosie~âÂ
Rosie leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. âRen~ I like you. I'm falling in love with you.âÂ
Despite everything, he hadnât expected her to say that, not so overtly. As he gazed at her with surprise, his ears twitched. Holding her this close, he could hear her heart racingâfeel it too. Was she as nervous as he was? That wasâŠstrangely comforting, actually. He took a shaky breath.Â
âIâŠâ
"I feel the same way. I have for a while now, you're..." Ren took another small breath, trying to figure out how to put all his feelings to words. âYou're the most amazing person I've ever met."
Rosie gazed back at him with big, watery eyes just before wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into another hug. Her hair smelled like a field of flowers. A moment later, she pulled back, smiling at him once more before slowly moving toward his mouth. Ren leaned in to meet her half-way, just as eager as he was terrified.
And then their lips met.
In movies, first kisses were always full of loud excitementâââexploding fireworks and rising crescendos. But this was quiet and warm, like sinking into a bath after a long day. All the fear and anxiety from before melted away as he lost himself in the delicate, soft feeling of her lips.
Once they pulled back, Ren's gaze held nothing but love and adoration as she held his face in her hands, then kissed him again. It was just as nice the second time.
âRen~â she cooed, touching her nose to his. âWhat a cute, fluffy boyfriend I've found~"Â
Ren giggled, wrapping his tail around her. That made her his girlfriend too, didnât it?
"What a gorgeous, soft girlfriend Iâve found~" he replied as he moved in for a third kiss. He let this one linger a bit longer than the others, savoring every second before finally pulling back and giving her the most confident smile heâd ever had since setting foot in this house.
âNot bad~â  He reached forward, tearing the womanâs panties down the middle. âLetâs see if sheâs like you after all. Go and check~âÂ
Rosie gawked at him; honestly confused for a moment before she realized he wanted her to put her fingers in this poor womanâs vagina to ââââcheck if she was arousedâââââ. Strade was grinning from ear to ear as realization dawned on her. Embarrassed, and, with a fresh dose of mortification for this woman washing over her, Rosie muttered out an apology as Ren and Strade held the frustrated womanâs legs wide open. Rosie resisted the urge to suck on her own fingers first before inserting one between the lips, partially because her fingers were definitely filthy by now, but also because she was sure Strade would get annoyed with her. In went her finger, unlubricated, which was immediately met with great resistance. Understandably, the woman was extremely dry. Rosie shook her head, feeling a bit of shame creeping over her as she realized that this was the normal reaction to being mutilated, and she was the outlier. Strade pretended to be concerned in that oh so punchable way of his.
âNo~? Maybe she needs a little encouragement.â Grimacing, Rosie gave the woman a proper fingering (well, as proper as she could get it in these subpar circumstances) and even got away with rubbing her clit with her thumb, but it was in vain. The pain was all encompassing, and the longer this went on, the angrier the woman became. She was screaming obscenities at Rosie before Strade said something again. âAh, tsk~ No such luck hm~?â Strade reached out a hand, and for a moment Rosie thought he was going to grab her wrist or something. Instead, he grabbed the drill. The next thing she knew, heâd pushed her forward so that she was lying across the bound womanâs lap.
âS-Strade?â She heard the drill whirring to life and her heart began to race as she thought of him using it on her again. Her adrenaline tugged her in two different directions; mortal terror and arousal strangling her into silence as she awaited the worst. What came was not the hellacious pain of the drill bit, but rather the powerful vibrations of the back end of the drill itself. A confused, whimpering moan was her response. Like this, it was sort of like a vibrator, just cranked up way too hard. Strade ground the back of the drill against her pussy and she cried out, gripping at the flesh beneath her for something to hold onto. It felt good, and in a normal kinda way? Almost? Well, it did until she felt his rough fingers bury into her hair and yank her head back painfully. Somehow that got a bigger reaction out of her then the vibrations themselves, and for a blissful few seconds she forgot where she was.
That said, not for a single moment did Rosie think he was doing this for any nice normal reasons, but it didnât occur to her what was actually up until she heard their victim hissing at her in disgust. Rosie looked up at her, suddenly feeling very small and despicable as she was glared at and judged. Â
Oh.....o  h....
Ren and Strade had already seen her react like this. She was used to their respective confused acceptance and amusement, so this, this hate-filled judgment filled Rosie with a sludge-like shame that clung to every corner of her body. Â
âWhat a vile creature.â She could see it in the womanâs eyes. âWhat a disgusting bitch.â
 Rosie let out a choked sob, eyes filling with tears. She heard Strade go for his zipper, and dread filled her. Not dread for the pain necessarily, though she wasnât exactly looking forward to it, but because once she pushed passed it, and she went from being Rosemary Grayson to whoever the fuck it was living in her skin when the serial killer started fucking her, then their victim was really going to see her for what she was. Strade tossed the drill to the side, and pushed into Rosie with no more preamble. She shrieked in pain, curling up against the legs beneath her for some sort of mental stability. The pounding started quickly, with Strade encouraging her to âstop pretendingâ. Was the woman beside her still talking to her? Was she even looking at her anymore? Could she even bear to? This was the man that had violated her so thoroughly, the man who would be the death of her, and here Rosie was, slowly but surely welcoming in his cock like the worst kind of degenerate slut. Â
âAaaah! Ah, ah, ow, aaaah~!â Somewhere in the middle of pain and humiliation, Rosie found the sweet spot of her vile perversions, and really started to get into it despite her swirling self hatred. She moaned shamelessly as she was pounded across the thighs of their unwilling audience. She spread her legs for Strade, and crooned out in pleasure when his cock slid in as deeply as it could go. He grinned, taking in the delicious discomfort of the dying woman next to them. Leaning over to her, he licked up the side of her face, over the open wound heâd made in her cheek and she cried out in pain.
âIch hoffe, du bist bereit fĂŒr meinen zweiten Wind~â He laughed at her confused and enraged expression. âYouâre next~â He clarified in English, and he nearly came from the look of horror in her eyes alone. Rosie, lost in pleasure, was barely paying attention to them. Instead, her eyes caught sight of something far more interesting. Or rather, someone~ Ren. Ren, Ren, Ren~ Â
When Strade stopped thrusting suddenly, Rosie whined; she actually, genuinely pouted and was about to look over her shoulder at him to ask what he was doing when he snatched a handful of her hair and made her look up at Ren. Or, rather, what was happening between Renâs legs. Though Rosie had initially been looking up at her fluffy boyâs handsome face, when her sexed out brain finally caught up to reality, she realized that Strade wanted her to notice what heâd noticed. Ren was painfully hard. Rosie blinked in surprise, and then couldnât for the life of her stop herself from imagining him taking it out and letting her taste it.
âRen~ No, donât hide it. What part is getting you hard? Have you always liked watching our Rosie get fucked~?â  Strade dug his nails deep into Rosieâs hip and her pussy squeezed around his cock in a way that almost made him forget what he was about to say...Almost~ This was too good to pass up. He ordered Ren to take it out, and to touch himself in front of them. To show Rosie how much he liked watching her be humiliated and forced. Rosie whimpered, just for a moment, at the thought of Renâs eventual distress, but she was again distracted by the renewed thrusts of their captor. Back in the groove of things, Rosie didnât bother to pretend she wasnât enjoying watching Ren touch himself. Not just in general, mind you, but specifically to her in an overtly sexual sitation, just like that time in the hallway. The more she took in the sight of him, panting red in the face, stroking his cock with her in mind, the more absurdly aroused she became. From down on the floor, she gave Ren a completely unfiltered look of lust and longing.
âI wish it was you, Ren, that it was you in his place. I wish it was you fucking me right now~â She couldnât say it outloud, not now, but God, she was trying so damn hard to get it across with the look she was giving him. With the last of her brain cells, she made a rather overt gesture, she looked up at him, then dragged her gaze down to his cock, and licked her lips. After that, really, she was just a ball of mush. When Strade came, it was with a series of bruisingly powerful thrusts that destroyed her completely. When Rosie came back down to Earth (if only just barely) it was because Strade was using his foot to move her off of the womanâs thighs. He was laughing, high on adrenaline despite having just ejaculated. His legs were shaking a bit, and his breathing was heavy, but otherwise he was probably mere minutes from carrying through on the promise of second winds.
Rosie was aware of nothing, staring up at the ceiling of the basement with a fuzzy brain and a pussy full of cum. Soon enough there was another round of screaming that began beside her, jolting her out of the near zen sheâd entered. Sitting up, she dizzily looked over at Ren, and felt something as it dripped down her cheek. Assuming it was blood, she ignored it, and curled up into a ball as their horrific reality started to fade back into focus. Â
The woman, thoroughly used and abused by now, still had another half hour of torture to endure before finally, finally, finally she bled out. Strade came over to her, kneeling down in front of her so he could admire her tear soaked face. He grabbed her chin and made her look up at him, which she did with an added bonus of exhaustion. Initially, Strade made a noise of adoration, but that quickly transitioned into hearty chuckles.
âMade a bit of a mess, Ren~?â  He laughed, and Rosie reached up to rub at the dried blood on her face. When she brought the dried flakes into view, she saw not the blood of their victim, but rather what had to be some of Renâs semen. Sheâd missed seeing the moment herself, but the proof was right there on her face and maybe even in her hair. Rosie blushed heavily, which just made Strade laugh again.
----
Cleaning up was Hell like always. Strade, who didnât let them clean themselves off until the job was done, gave them hatchets and hand saws to cut the body with so that it could fit nicely into the kiln. He watched the entire time, Rosie mindful of her every move and facial expression. The last time theyâd cleaned up a body, she and Ren had hugged it out, which led to Strade trying to turn them against each other. This time, despite the tornado of emotions swirling inside of her, Rosie made absolutely certain that she wouldnât offer or receive any comfort until she knew for sure that Strade was asleep.
Though her resolve was strong both mentally and emotionally, Rosie couldnât win. In order to not think too hard about how much she wanted to break down and cry and sob it out with Ren, she tried to focus on her task. The task, however, was so repulsive to her on a cellular level, that by the time they were finished sheâd puked not once, but twice, all over the part of the body she was severing. By the time they were dismissed, she practically ran upstairs into the bathroom and was in the shower while the water was still freezing cold.
It took Ren a moment to figure out what Strade meant by âsee if sheâs like you,â but once he realized, his ears fell, and his mouth curled into a frown.
Strade knew this was something Rosie was sensitive about, so of course he would take a jab at her over it. There wasnât much Ren could do with his feelings of anger and frustration though, so he tried to focus on holding the poor womanâs legs open. It was hard not to watch Rosieâs fingers slip into the other womanâs pussy, working their way in and out until they were coated in what little lubrication there was. It clearly did nothing for the woman though, and the string of obscenities she started throwing at Rosie only made him cringe more.
When Strade pushed Rosie on top of the woman, Ren let out a small gasp and let go of her legânot that it mattered at this point with Rosie on top of her. For a horrible moment, he thought Strade was about to drill into Rosie, but instead he just pressed the back end of the tool between her legs.
Rosieâs moan shot right thought him, causing his face to flush ever-so-slightly. And it only got louder when Strade tugged at her hair. Just as he started to become aware of the warm feeling pooling at his groin, the woman Rosie was on top of practically hissed at her. When he shifted his gaze to look, the expression she was giving Rosie was absolutely withering.Â
Oh.
A fresh wave of hatred washed over him, one so potent that he kept his gaze away from Strade just in case. He was doing this on purpose! Of course he was.
The sounds of Rosie's choked sobs made him tremble as he gritted his teeth, rage mixing with his earlier arousal to create a truly bizarre sensation. Ren didnât think for a second that Rosieâs cry of pain was fakeâhe knew first hand just how much that thing hurtâbut Strade certainly acted like it was. But then, almost as if to support his claim, Rosieâs cries of pain began to melt into moans of pleasure, until she was spreading her legs wider.
Ren watched as if transfixed as Strade pounded into her against and again, listened as the sounds of flesh against flesh mingling with her moans of pleasure. He was so caught up in it that he almost forgot about the other woman until Strade leaned over to lick her face. A painful pang of sympathy shot through him, just in time for him to realize that he was really hard.Â
God, why?
To his horror, he then realized that Rosie was looking right at him, though she didnât seem upset. Maybe she hadnât noticedâŠ? But then Strade stopped, and now he was looking at him too, but his eyes werenât on Renâs face.Â
Paralyzed with dread, he watched helplessly as any hope of Rosie still being too out of it to notice was shattered. The moment Strade forced Rosie to look at his dick, Ren instinctually moved his hands to cover it, but it was far, far too late for that.
âRen~ No, donât hide it. What part is getting you hard? Have you always liked watching our Rosie get fucked~?â
âN-no IâŠâ He wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out. But Strade wasnât satisfied with thatâhe knew the truth just as well as Ren did, and was determined to make it crystal clear to Rosie.
Absolutely mortified, Ren reached a shaking hand into his pants and pulled out his fully erect cock. He began to reluctantly stroke it as he tried to find a place to keep his eyes. Looking at his own dick made him want to disappear even more, but he definitely did not want to look at Strade right now. And the last thing he wanted to do was look at Rosie directlyâwhat must she think of him?
Once Strade started thrusting again though, the sounds it drew from Rosie made him look up at her again. When their eyes met, he didn't see a look of disgust or anger. To his absolute bewilderment, the expression he was met with was one of lust. And it was fixed solely on him.
With each subsequent stroke, Renâs hand began to shake less, and his expression melted into an almost heated one. His movements got faster and more insistent, his breath picked up, and his mind started wandering. He started imagining what it would be like if it was his hips slamming against her, her pussy tightening around his cock. Small moans began to escape from his lips just before he saw her gaze move from his eyes back down to his cock.
And she licked her lips. Did she...like him?
Eyes widening, Ren came on the very next stroke, letting out an involuntary gasp that turned into loud, lewd moan. He watched the cum drip down her face, a few drops getting in her hair. If that bothered her at all, she didn't show itâif anything, she seemed completely lost in her own ecstasy. Ren let out another shaky moan, giving his cock a few extra strokes as he rode out his orgasm. He was only vaguely aware Strade's movements speeding up as he reached climax as well.
By the time Ren caught his breath, Strade was laughing and shoving Rosie off of the woman with his foot. Despite having just came, he looked more excited than ever. That look alone made Ren cringe, and he quickly shoved his dick back in his pants, not daring to look at anyone else in the room.
It wasn't until the screaming started again that it really sunk in what had just happened. He literally just mastrubated in front of Rosie while she was getting raped. When he looked up, he met Rosie's eyes again, just before she curled into a ball. Apparently it was hitting her too. A thick blanket of anger and self-loathing enveloped him as he curled his tail around himself, holding it tightly at the tip. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the floor, trying not to make too much noise. The woman's screams helped drown out any sounds that escaped his lips.
When the woman finally drew her last breath, Ren thought the worst was over. He was wrong.
âMade a bit of a mess, Ren~?â Â
The moment Rosie blushed after examining the residue on her face was somehow the worst of the night. Strade's laughter echoed in his ears, despite them being near flat against his head now. She was just now realizing what happened, what he did. What must she think of him? The wave of disgust he felt at himself in that moment was so intense that he almost throw up.
During clean up, Ren was painfully aware of Strade's eyes on them the entire time. He tried his hardest not to look at Rosieâan effort that was certainly helped by his fear of what he'd find if it did at this pointâand largely succeeded. The only exception was the first time she threw up. He looked over at her with concern, only to quickly look away when he realized what the sound was. If there was any doubt how she felt about him, it was gone now. Focusing on the task at hand was all he could do to keep vomiting.
When they were finally dismissed, both he and Rosie left the basement quickly, but Rosie was moving at almost a run. She made it to the bathroom first, which was just as wellâshe deserved it far more.
Ren went in his room to wait while she washed off, finally allowing himself to cry a bit more openly. He still had to mind his volume, but in the privacy of his room, he didn't have to be quite so guarded. After a few minutes of sobbing, his thoughts reluctantly shifted back to the events that just transpired.
Rosie was disgusted, that much was clear, but the more he thought about it, the more he began to realize that maybe it wasn't just with him, even if it felt like that. She was also disgusted with herself, he'd seen that very plainly. And of course, cleaning up a body was pretty unpleasant on all levels, so that probably didn't help.
There was also that one moment where she'd looked at him and licked her lips....he wasn't sure what to make of that now. Had he imagined it? No, no it defintely happened....maybe she'd just completely lost it for a bit there? That still didn't fit though, it wasn't just a haphazard action, it wasn't the same as that far-off look in her eyes when he came. It was very targeted, very deliberate.
Ren's ears perked up when he heard the bathroom door open and close, but he waited a good two minutes before venturing out into the hallway. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he went in to take a bath. Once he was cleaned off and soaking in the water, Ren thought about what to do next. He realized pretty quickly that, more than anything else, he wanted to comfort Rosie in some way. At this point he was no longer confident that she never wanted to see his face again, so it was at least worth a try.
Ren cut the soaking part of his bath short, toweled off, and got dressed. A quick glance at the clock told him that Strade should be asleep by this point, but he strained his ears to check all the same. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he crept over to Rosie's room.
Despite having just ensured they were safe, knocking somehow still felt too loud. Instead, he moved toward the closed door to listen. The soft sobs he heard from inside broke his heart.
"....Rosie?" His voice was soft and gentle, desperately trying to convey a suggestion rather than a demand. If she didn't want to talk, he would leave her be without question.
"Ren..." Her voice was soft and shaky, exactly what you would expect from someone crying. But it didn't sound like she wanted him to leave, so after taking a small breath, he gently pushed the door open.
Rosie, who was curled around her pillow, looked up as soon as he entered. He gave her a sympathetic look, then quietly came over to the bed to lie beside her and wrap his arms around her. He kept an eye on her every second though, ready to pull back if she showed any sign of discomfort.
As Ren reached for the medkit, Rosie was quick to gently bat his hand away.
"Nuh-uh~ Let Nurse Rosie take care of everything~" After closing the toilet lid, Rosie placed a hand on the small of Renâs back, guiding him to sit down on the seat. She looked over the new damage, and it didnât take long to conclude that his most pressing injury was on his arm. Running a fresh washcloth under the sink, and then applying a bit of antibacterial soap, she sank to her knees in front of Ren and took a hold of his arm. C a r e f u l l y, she cleaned away the blood from the large wound, as well as any other cuts and scrapes that looked new too. Rosie glanced up at Ren with a big smile; checking on him to see if he's doing alright before giving the clean skin a better look over. Unfortunately, it didnât look as though theyâd be able to avoid the needle today.
"Yeah, that'll need some stitches. Sorry, sweetie." She stands up, prepping the needle and thread after disinfecting the former. Once it was threaded, she had an idea. "Do you want one of his belts to bite on~?"
"Ah...no, thanks. I'm too afraid I'll leave marks on it. My teeth are kinda....Sharp. It's okay though~ I'm used to it.â
Even though all heâd done was give her a reasonable explanation, Renâs innocent answer sent Rosieâs thoughts spiraling. Renâs teeth were kinda sharp~ Rosie thought back to the times when Strade had bitten her during sex and the way her body had reacted to it. The way her arousal had spiked and sheâd cried out wantonly. She canât help but to wonder how it would feel if Ren bit into her instead. Those teeth sinking into her skin; drawing her blood, making her eyes roll back and her nails dig into his shoulders-
âAlrighty~â She smiled sweetly at her friend, leaning down to kiss his forehead and pretending as if she didnât just turn herself on. Back on the floor, Rosie got back to work. She was as delicate as possible, making neat stitches and closing up the wound. She checked on him often, running a hand reassuringly over his skin when he made a pained noise. When he was as patched up as possible, she cleaned up the med kit area and checked on the bath water. She'd initially run it super hot, so that the water would be a good temperature by the time they were finished. While she could have certainly left Ren alone to wash himself in silence, the sexy images sheâd tortured herself with earlier lingered in her mind. It was a mix of wanting to pamper him, flirt with him, and tease him that made her pick up his loofa as she turned to look at him.
âWant me to help~?â Â
"Wha-?" The adorable, fluffy muppet that he was, Ren's eyes widened in surprise, a small blush on his cheeks that Rosie ate right up. "Y-You don't have to...I mean..."
Rosie laughed lightly, reaching out to run her fingers through his bangs and was pleased when he sighed contently. She could understand his hesitance. While it was true that theyâd gotten decent looks at each other's bodies in the relatively short time that they'd known each other....None of those times were particularly consensual..
"I can get your back and your hair~"Â She held up the bubble bath as an offer of privacy.
"Okay~" While he got undressed, Rosie added in the bubble bath, turning on the shower just long enough to get the bubbles nice and big. She averted her eyes as Ren slipped in under the water. "Ahhh~"
Rosie picked up one of Ren's shampoo bottles (he had a few kinds and they all smelled amazing) at random. Â
"Let's see~ How are we feeling about roses and patchouli today?" He agreed, so she knelt down behind him to be able to get at his hair. Having fun, she ran her fingers through his hair, washing it well, but also giving his head a gentle massage too. She adored the way his ears twitched! Honestly it was too friggin cute?? Leaning forward, she rested her cheek against one of his ears, so she could feel it twitch against her skin. When it did, she let out a gentle squeal, unable to hide her delight. .
"Eeeehehe~" Pulling back, she picked up the loofa, soaping it up and washing his neck. She hummed gently; an old Italian lullaby.Â
"Can I have some?"Â Ren asked, referring to the shampoo.Â
She handed it over, along with a washcloth, and he got started on washing his tail. Sharing this peaceful moment with him, a part of Rosie wanted to hug Ren, which would be fine and normal for them, but the idea of doing it now while he was naked in the bath made her a little excited. She could just imagine it~ She would wrap her arms around his shoulders, leaning him back against her breasts and then holding him close. Soap and water would soak into her shirt. That close, he would surely be able to hear her heart beating with those ears of his~ Blushing, she managed to reign herself in, wanting to let him focus on his recovery. Instead, she washed his shoulders.
"Your hands are so soft..." He said, pulling Rosie out of her daydreams. Aww~ Â
"Your skin is soft too~" She couldn't resist the urge to flirt. As if to demonstrate her appreciation of his softness, Rosie ran a loofaless hand down his arm, enjoying the soft skin despite the occasional bumps of old scars. Her fingers stopped when she reached his hand. She slipped her fingers in between his and gave a small squeeze.Â
"Hm~" She lingered, then pulled back a bit more sensually than she probably should, letting her fingers drag along the skin. Not calling attention to what she'd done, she starts washing his back. Eventually, when she'd done all she could without getting too invasive, she kissed him on the back of the head and pulled away to grab a bucket so she could rinse out his hair. "Close your eyes~" Naturally, there was a round of conditioner that followed, but she left that in so it could do its job, and stood up. "How about that lunch I promised? What would you like~?"
----
While prepping lunch, Rosie made sure to make three servings of it to avoid suspicion, and then wrapped up Strade's share for whenever he got home. Rosie and Ren ate lunch in his room, after he'd dried off and she'd helped him with bandages and such. She wrapped him up in blankets, propping him up against the wall with pillows, and put on something nice to watch on his laptop. Keeping an ear out for Strade's car, she finally heard him pulling into the driveway and quickly removed herself from Ren's room. She listened to Strade dragging something downstairs, which made her stomach lurch. So...He'd found someone after all.
----
âWhy donât you go ahead and pick a tool~?â Rosie, who had been called into the basement alongside Ren at around 10 pm, was met with an already rather grisly sight the moment she entered the playroom. Tied to the pole was a woman in her mid-thirties. There was a gaping hole in her left cheek. Or rather, heâd cut into her face so bad her Cheshire grin went up to her ear. Rosie could see blood on the womanâs teeth and it looked like cum was dripping down her chin. Rosie grimaced, hesitating to fully enter the room after accidentally making eye-contact with the poor lady. Big brown eyes full of hatred took in the sight of her and Ren; judging them as enemies first and foremost. Rosie felt Ren gently nudging her forward, and she did as she was told, moving closer to Strade as he rubbed his hands together. She caught the discreet apologetic look in his eyes and she totally understood. The last thing they needed was Strade getting impatient with them. When he did speak, Rosieâs stomach began to lurch. She tore her eyes away from the woman as she tried to speak. The act of opening her mouth was clearly causing her a ton of pain but she managed to hiss out a warning to stay away from her. Rosie felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and got the hint that sheâd taken too long to start walking. Turning towards the big container of tools, Rosie looked over the options quickly.
Obviously, none of these options were âgoodâ. Even if she grabbed something like the axe, Strade would probably just chop off something that wouldnât kill the woman outright. The thought of handing him the hedge clippers made her pale. She could vividly imagine him chopping off fingers and toes one by one. Absolutely not!! After Ren grabbed a knife, Rosie found herself still stalling. Herself getting hurt was one thing, watching others get hurt was torture but this??? She didnât want to do this, she didnât want to do this, she didnât want to do this!! Hyperventilating a bit, she jumped when she felt Stradeâs heavy hand on her shoulder again. Strade leaned in close, whispering into her ear. âRenâs already picked. Donât keep me waiting.â Shakily; tearfully, Rosie reached out, grabbing something at random. She heard Strade make a sound of pleasant surprise behind her, and that was when she finally realized that sheâd grabbed the drill.
Oh...
Looking at it brought back memories of that night. Confusion, lust, and fear pooled low in her stomach, and when Strade gripped her chin to force her to look up at him, her expression was a mixture of those emotions. Â
âYou think she might be like you, liebling? A freak of nature, huh~?â
âI hope so...â Rosie muttered. Strade laughed, marching her towards the woman, who immediately began screaming and kicking at Rosie. He pushed her to the ground, a heavy hand on her head, and ordered her to make some holes. Rosie hesitated, her hands shaking as she held up the surprisingly heavy drill. Â
âStrade...Please...I....â There was no warning at all before Strade activated her collar, sending Rosie spiraling back down into electric hell. She collapsed against the woman; her head on the latter's lap as she convulsed in pain. When the shock was over, Strade grabbed a handful of Rosieâs hair and yanked her back up into a kneeling position. She sobbed weakly.
âWanna try that again?â He still had the remote out, a clear threat. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Rosie barely managed to lift the drill and turned it on. It took a bit of effort to push it close enough to the struggling woman to pierce the skin, but she finally managed to slide it in. The scream that filled the basement was its own fresh level of hell. This time, the scream was specifically Rosieâs doing. The fingers in her hair tightened their grip, and she winced, though she could tell Strade wasnât angry anymore, but rather, getting excited. Â
âMore, make another one~ Make her cry out.â He laughed, thinking of a good joke to wrap it back around to bullying Rosie. âMake her wet~â Humiliated, Rosie pulled out the drill, fresh tears filling her eyes before she plunged it back into a different spot. Scream after scream met her ears, as tears filled her eyes and spilled over. The woman spat at her, getting blood on her face and very nearly into her eyes. Rosie shrieked and had to stop drilling in order to wipe away the blood near her eyes. Looking at the other side of the woman, Rosie is surprised to see that Ren is also down on the floor; knife in hand. Strade must have ordered him to start stabbing the woman, but why hadnât Rosie noticed any of that?? Did she zone out or something? Strade kneeled down beside Rosie, looking over the damage she and Ren have already inflicted.
'Nurse Rosie.' Suddenly Ren's mind was flooded with images of Rosie tending to him in a skin-tight nurse's outfit that barely contained her voluptuous breasts and only came down to just past the edge of her butt. It certainly kept him occupied for most of the initial treatment, though once she got to stitching him up, he had to focus a bit more on trying to minimize the noise.
He was pretty practiced with it at this point, and since it was Rosie, he could actually cover his mouth with his free hand without worry. All the same, a few moans and whimpers were inevitably audible through his fingers. Still, she was gentler than Strade, and her movements went more carefully when he made noise rather than less.Â
The offer to help him bathe was unexpected, to say the least, but he didnât put up much resistance to the idea. He looked over at her briefly before fully undressing, and felt a small sense of relief when he saw her looking away. Which was ridiculous, sheâd seen him naked, butâŠ
Once he was in the water, he looked back up to see her smiling and blushing a little, which made him do likewise. The rest of the bath was absolutely heavenly; the feeling of her fingers in his hair and on his skin, the intoxicating aroma of roses and patchouli, and the gentle sound of her humming a song he didn't recognize made him feel more at ease than he had in a long time. Again, he couldn't help thinking of how different it was from intimacy with Strade, even without the more violent aspects of it. The smallest differences, like that little giggle when his ears twitched against her skin, completely transformed the experience in a way he couldnât fully place just yet. Even the way she ran her fingers across his bare skin was different; it was slower, more affectionate than hungry. There was no fear or unease to mix with his enjoyment of the sensual touch. When she slipped her fingers between his, he felt his heart flutter.Â
Her touch lingered long after she moved her hands away, after she stood up, after she left the room to prepare steak and potatoes at his request. As he finished washing himself, Renâs mind drifted back to Rosie in her nurseâs outfit, except this time she was in the water with him. The little clothing she had on was completely soaked through, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination as she ran her soft hands down his sides, past his hips, and down between his legs to stroke his erect cock.Â
âWon't you help me wash too?â she asked, her cheeks a little flushed as she smiled hopefully at him. Ren nodded, reaching over to peel away the drenched fabric so that her chest was fully exposed. After soaping his hands up, he ran them along her breasts slowly and sensually, eliciting those beautiful noises he heard her make before. Except this time he was the one doing it. By the time the bath was over, he'd cleaned more off himself than he came in there with.
Lunch was extremely pleasant as well. The food she made tasted better than any steak and potato dinner heâd ever made before, and once he was done, he had to physically stop himself from falling asleep beside her as they watched some anime. Still, it didnât keep him from snuggling up against her as he too kept an ear out for Stradeâs car. They both heard him pull up, and he shot her one more grateful look before she exited the room.
----
Unsurprisingly, Strade had found someone new to torture, Ren heard some of it long before he and Rosie were called down to join him that night. Ren had certainly become somewhat desensitized to the kind of damage Strade did to his playthings, but he still knew better than to make eye contact. There was only so much he could deal with.
But Rosie was still new to this, this was her first time, wasnât it? When she paused in the doorway, Ren gave her a small nudge, not wanting to keep Strade waiting. He still shot her an apologetic look though; he sympathized, he really did. But he also knew what happened when Strade got impatient. When asked to pick a tool, he glanced over at the poor woman and immediately regretted it. UghâŠ
Looking over the options, he grabbed the knife, purely because everything else seemed like it would be even more unpleasant. Once he made his choice, he glanced over at Rosie; to his dismay, sheâd still not made hers. She actually looked like she was going to have a panic attack. At Strade's urging, she picked up...the drill? His eyes widened a bit; while still better than something like the ax, it was definitely something he personally would have stayed away from. Then again, it kind of looked like she picked something without really looking.
He sincerely doubted this woman would enjoy pain the way Rosie did, and Rosie probably knew that too. He watched uneasily as she was marched over to the woman andâŠoh. Oh no.Â
The moment she turned to Strade and started pleading with him, an icy sense of mortal dread completely engulfed him. He wanted to shout at her not to, to give her a signal, anythingâ but it was too late. Strade already pressed the button.
Between the sight of Rosie writhing and screaming as she fell back on the woman and the absolute blood-chilling look Strade gave her, Ren felt tears begin to well up in his eyes and run down his cheeks as he stood frozen in place, helpless to do anything.
Thankfully, Rosie gave in after that, but that didnât make watching her torture the woman any easier. His ears went even flatter against his head once the woman started screaming, and he wasn't sure where to keep his eyes; Rosie's pained, tear-stained face, or the agonized, furious face of their victim.
âRen.â
He was so tense at this point that the sound of his name almost made him jump as he turned to look at Strade.
âWhy donât you make a few holes that that knife, hm?â
Ren nodded, and with some effort, forced himself to move over to the woman. He knew from experience that, Stradeâs impatience aside, hesitating never made it easier. If anything, it made actually taking action harder with every second he thought it over. So, as soon as he was situated at the womanâs side, he closed his eyes and thrust the knife in as hard as he could.
Closing his eyes did little to help though; he could still feel the warm blood on his hands, he could still hear her screams of agony increase in volume and intensity.
When he heard Rosie shriek, he opened flew back open, and he looked over at her in alarm. Had she gotten hurt? Did the woman hurt her? To his (slight) relief, it seemed like sheâd just gotten some blood on her face.
Rose and him locked eyes for a moment, but as soon as Strade moved down beside Rosie, his gaze moved instinctually to focus on him instead. He certainly looked happy.
[Image Description: Ren Hana from BoyFriend to Death 2 grinning wide with blood dripping out of his mouth and splatted a bit on the side of his face. his eyes seem to glow a bit like that of a fox. End Image Description.]
âYou don't have to give up. I...I don't want you to give up. I just...we need to find something less risky."
To that, Rosieâs heart swelled with rejuvenated hope and affection. Like sheâd done many times before, she leaned in to kiss him. This time, however, the intent was different. Had she not caught herself in time, she would have surely kissed him full on the mouth. The realization stunned her, allowing her to course-correct for his cheek just in time. The thought of taking what very may well be his first kiss without his permission, in this hell house where his permission hadnât mattered in nearly a year, didnât sit right with her at all. He reacted well, regarding her warmly, and possibly not even noticing what sheâd actually been about to do. Which, huh...Why had she wanted to kiss him like that? His next question about getting Strade drunk managed to distract her, but only long enough for her to answer him, and for him to cuddle up with his head under her chin. Rosie held him close; alone with her thoughts while they cuddled. Â
"..." She fully intended to break them out of here. One way or another, Rosie was determined to walk out of this house hand in hand with Ren. As much as she wanted to go at things aggressively, since passivity wasnât going to get them anywhere but trapped forever or murdered, she couldnât pretend that she hadnât been thoroughly shaken when Strade had woken up on the couch and grabbed her wrist. Sheâd meant it when sheâd said that she would try again for the remote once she calmed down, willing to push through the fear and danger if it meant rescue. Even now, she considered going back down to the living room, risking both her foot and her life, but the young man in her lap was resting against her chest like a heavy weight; keeping her in place.Â
Rosie ran her fingers through his hair, unable to keep the image of his eyes welling up with tears out of her mind. Heâd looked so scared...And, really, why wouldnât he be? If she failed and Strade killed her, whoâs to say he wouldnât take it out on Ren? Whoâs to say Ren wouldnât be stuck in a worse situation, but without the friend heâd made? Rosie really liked Ren, (probably too much, if just his tears were such a significant weak point in her resolve), and the thought of her messing up and leaving him alone in this nightmare factory was enough to convince her that he was right, and maybe she needed to plot out an escape after getting a more well-rounded idea of who she was up against...Even if it meant delaying said escape by a few weeks or so. A month at most. She kissed the top of Renâs head, and smiled adoringly when his ears twitched against her cheek. Teehee~  <3
So...Was she...Falling for Ren? Did she have a crush on her fluffy friend? Â
Well...Why wouldn't she? After everything they'd already been through?
The night they'd met; with Rosie tied up to the pole and fading fast. Her heart and mind had been a mess. Her body was bloody and sore. Ren had snuck into the basement for whatever reason, maybe curiosity? Maybe guided to her by God? Whatever the driving force, his kindness had saved her life. He'd given her a glass of water; the greatest, most refreshing drink she'd ever had...He'd cleaned up her wounds. Heâd spoken so gently to her... Honestly, she contributed a large amount of her survival that night, and her subsequent 'promotion' to housemate, to Ren's helping her.Â
After that, Ren had given her advice on how to survive with Strade, had been a shoulder to lean on, and had provided her with open arms and ears.Â
And then, of course... Her missing person's poster. She'd really been asking a lot of him when she'd tearfully asked him to hide it for her. What if he'd been caught with it? How much trouble would they have been in? And then, even throughout Strade's cruel trick, Ren had remained a friend to her, and kept it safe.Â
Even without all of that, Ren was extremely cute! She really did like his face~ She didn't mind a shorter guy either. His hair was so clean and soft and he smelled great. And his eyes?? Just beautiful~Â
Smiling, Rosie reached down to play with Ren's tail. She wasn't put off by his fluffiness at all. Rather, she found it charming! She was having a hard time imagining him without his fox parts, it really was such a necessary part of the Ren experience. His skin too, was very smooth and soft, and she knew from his occasional cheek kisses that his mouth would be just as soft.Â
And of course she enjoyed talking to him! His eyes lit up when he really got going on a topic, and his entire vibe changed when he laughed and smiled. She'd love to see a stress free, confident Ren one day~ He'd probably look unbearably sexy and-
... Yeah. She was totally starting to crush on him.Â
But now what? Could he like her romantically too? Did he even think she was pretty? With these scars and bruises on her skin? With this hole in her foot?? Maybe she wouldn't tell him now... Maybe she'd just let her crush flourish for a while~ Just enjoy the adventure of falling in love. And of course, flirt and snuggle until she was sure he liked her too!Â
---
The following morning, Strade woke up groggy, with a pretty wicked migraine. He barked at Ren to make him something for his headache while Rosie helped him downstairs to the basement bathroom. After a bit of food, an aspirin, and a lot of water, he was back asleep and snoring up a storm. Rosie exchanged hopeful looks with Ren, that Strade wouldn't end up remembering their attempt to escape after all.Â
In the end, things returned to 'normal' in Strade's house, which was a massive relief.Â
---
A few days passed between the alcohol buffet and Strade's next 'guest'. Rosie's forearm had some new lacerations and fresh stitches, which made her whine and wince whenever she put any weight on her left arm. On a happier note, Rosie had been thoroughly enjoying flirting with her fluffy companion.Â
On Friday, they made breakfast together; pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Rosie found excuses to touch Ren whenever she could. If she handed him something, she let her touch linger. When he needed something from higher up that she could reach, she placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed her body against his back as she stood on her toes.Â
"Almooooost....Aha~ Got it. Here you go." Her smile was innocent, but her intentions were definitely not.Â
On Saturday, Strade went out. Rosie pulled Ren into her room and they watched anime cuddled up on her bed.Â
On Sunday, the three of them ate Chinese food together in the basement while watching a sitcom on the TV. More than once, Rosie caught herself glancing over at Ren.Â
Monday had been the day Strade had cut up her arm. She sulked in the bathroom for a bit while Ren wrapped up her arm.Â
"Thank you, Ren~ You're so gentle~"
And then, it was Tuesday. Strade was itching for someone to poke around in. He called Ren down for a bit of playtime, but after he'd finished and Ren was a cum covered heap on the floor, he decided that he wanted more.Â
"I think I'll go out for a drink~" Glancing down at Ren, he scooped the boy up and plopped him down on the couch. He rustled Ren's hair before leaving the basement.Â
---
Having heard their encounter, Rosie snuck into the bathroom to run a nice, hot bath. She poured lavender Epson salt into the tub, and readied a med kit on the sink. She went downstairs after Strade pulled out of the driveway, and found Ren on the couch. She kneeled down next to him, wiping away any tears and putting his glasses back on.Â
"I've got an offer for you~" She said gently, brushing her fingers through his hair. "A relaxing bath and anything you want for lunch."Â
Despite everything that happened, Ren slept soundly that night knowing that Rosie wouldn't try anything so drastic again. And while Strade barking at him to get some pain meds was something of a rude awakening, it was so, so much better than it could have been.
While Rosie helped him downstairs to the bathroom, Ren got some food, aspirin, and a lot of water together as quickly and efficiently as he could. Once Strade got that in him, he was out like a light again. When his and Rosie's eyes met, he knew they were thinking the same thing: Strade didn't remember anything from last night.
Thank goodness.
The next day, while in the kitchen making breakfast, Rosie was a bitâŠtouchier than usual. Not on purpose, he was sure, but it was still a noticeable difference.
When he asked her to get some salt from the high shelf, he felt her hand on his shoulder, followed by her entire body leaning against him as she stretched to reach. He was vividly aware of her boobs squishing against him and...God, what was wrong with him?
When she finally moved back to hand him the salt, Ren tried to smile and thank her as normally as possible, but he could feel his cheeks flushing red.
And it stayed with him for the rest of the day too. He thought about it while eating breakfast, he thought about it while bathing, he thought about it while touching himself in his room that night. She was so warm, so soft.
When she pulled him into her room to cuddle the next day, he happily obliged. His tail slowly curled around her waist as they watched some Naruto, and by the time they were a few episodes in, she might have been able to hear a faint purring. Her embrace was so warm, so soft.
The next day, while watching TV with Strade downstairs and eating some Chinese food, Ren could have sworn he caught Rosie looking at him multiple times. That alone wasn't weird, they exchanged glances all the time, but something about the way she was looking at him was different than usual. She even glanced away when she caught him staring back, her cheeks flushing a bit. It was almost like...
No. He was probably imagining things.
Of course, it never stayed that way, not in this house. Come Monday, Strade got restless again, and cut up Rosie's arm pretty badly. While he was helping her bandage it up in the bathroom, she suddenly turned to him and gave him a smile like pure sunshine.
"Thank you, Ren~ You're so gentle~"
Something about the way she looked at him when she thanked him for his help made him feel all tingly inside. Her gaze was so warm, so soft.
"Of course."
The next day, it was his turn. He knew exactly what he was in for when Strade called him down, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with. At least he managed to get his glasses off before Strade got really worked up.
By the time Strade was finished, Ren was an exhausted, bloody, cum-covered heap on the floor. Everything hurt from his ears to his tail; some of it was just from rough handling, but he did still have several open wounds ranging from the small lacerations on his ears where Strade bit down hard enough to draw blood to the deeper cuts carved into his skin with that knife.
"I think Iâll go out for a drink~" Strade announced cheerfully before looking down at Ren.
"...."
He couldn't bring myself to respond verbally, but luckily Strade didn't seem to mind. After plopping him on the sofa and briefly rustling his hair, Strade left to go upstairs. Ren supposed he ought to be grateful that Strade didn't want to stay and patch him up, he was always really rough about it. But it still meant he had to do himself, which he was not looking forward to either. With a small whimper, he curled up and tried to rest long enough to get the energy he needed to mend the worst of his wounds.
Ren cringed when he first heard footsteps coming down the stairs to the basement. Was Strade back already?? Ugh, he wasn't ready to deal with him again yet, particularly if he brought someone back to torment. It felt like he'd only been gone a few minutes...
But then he saw Rosie come into view, and he relaxed instantly. He was silent as she knelt down, wiped away his tears, and put his glasses back on, but did let out a small sound of content when she brushed her fingers through his hair. Even that small touch felt so nice...
"I'd like that, thanks." The offer sounded amazing, so with what little strength he had left, Ren got rose off the couch and followed Rosie upstairs.
As they approached the bathroom, the scent of lavender wafted through the air. Had she already started the bath? Of course she had...
Once they were inside, he noticed a medicine kit by the sink, so he went over to the toilet to get deal with the worst of things before getting in the tub. After giving himself a quick look over, he decided the deepest cut in his arm was the only truly pressing need; the rest could wait until after the bath.
Once he was seated on the closed toilet, he shot Rosie another grateful smile before reaching for the soap and water with one hand and the needle and thread with the other.
@rosemarygrayson (Last Post)
It was so surreal...heâd seen Strade drunk before, but never like this. Even in this state though, he would not have dared talk to Strade like Rosie just did, even in jest. Then again, sheâd told him he looked like a mess even when he was sober.
When Ren heard his name, he quickly turned his attention to Strade, waiting patiently for him to try and form a sentence. He never did thoughâhe was out like a light. Ah well, a sleeping Strade was always the best kind anyway. He turned to Rosie to suggest they go upstairs and take advantage of this time, only to see her poking at Strade and...
...slapping him??? Thankfully, he really was out cold, but it gave him quite a scare all the same.
Then she started asking questions that, honestly, should have been a red flag for him. It wasnât that he didnât know where she was going with this (he wasnât stupid). But despite the innate terror the idea of an escape attempt filled him with, something about being with Rosie made him feel...braver. So, he answered her questions as best he could without any push back. He watched tensely as she went through his pockets, but got phone all the same. He told her the code heâd used to call Subway a while back, but the code didnât work anymore. That didnât really surprise him; maybe Strade remembered something of that night after all? Or maybe he changed his password every so often anyway. Either way, Ren thought that was the end of that...until Rosie Rosie sighed, and reached around him, almost as if...was she trying to turn him over? Ren tensed again, watching quietly.
When Stradeâs hand closed around her wrist, he swore his heart stopped. He wasnât asleep! They were going to die.
Ears pinned against his head, Ren watched in terror, barely even daring to breathe until Strade, by some miracle, simply drifted off again. Much to his own frustration, he remained paralyzed in place as Rosie maneuvered her way out of Stradeâs hold. Once she took his hand, he managed to find the will to hurry out of the room. Once they were in her bedroom, he finally let out a sigh of relief. Ren opened his mouth to agree with Rosie, that he too defintely assumed they were completely screwed and Strade had been faking, when her final sentence made him clam right back up again in a stunned silence. After a second or two, he reached out to take her hands and look her in the eye.
âRosie. Youâre...amazing, and really, really brave. Braver than I could ever be, But please...â He looked at her pleadingly. âI know we got lucky, I know he likes you, and I know you get away with saying a lot of stuff to him, but if he catches you doing this, he will kill you. And I canâtââ his voice cracks a little, his eyes starting to well up with tears. âI canât lose you.â
"But, Ren...." Rosie began, giving Renâs hands a squeeze. "What am I supposed to do, Ren? Â Watch him hurt you? Â Let him hurt me? Â I want to get us out of here..." She reached up a hand to cup his cheek. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes and feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He knew this was unfair to ask of her, but the thought of losing her was just too much.
âI-I know but...Rosie...it's too risky. You've never seen him angry. I mean, I know you've seen him upset but you've never seen him angry and..." He opened his eyes to look at her, more tears welling up.
"Please...I-I can show you more ways to avoid him, to calm him down....and you've already got lots we can...we can...." Â The tears starts to spill over, running down his face. It didnât matter did it? None of what he was suggesting solved the problem, not really. Â But what she was suggesting was just too risky. The idea of going back to how it was before Rosie...
"Rosie I can't do this without you. I can't. Not again."
Looking distressed now, Rosie reached out to hold Ren against her. "Oh! Â Ren, Ren, don't cry-"She reached out to pull Ren against her. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."
âIt's okay, it's okay, don't be sorry...â he mumbled, clinging back. She shouldnât be the one apologizing. He was the one holding them back here, he knew it. Although...as rested against her he realized she was still trembling, even if just a little. Maybe she was more shaken by it than he thought. He could hear her heart beat, and he could hear her swallows  before speaking again.
"How...What's he like when he's angry...?"
"He's even worse than usual, and any patience he usually has is gone." Ren paused, glancing away and thinking back to an incident before sheâd come to the house. âOne time, I was downstairs when he was torturing someone, and he wanted me to...to hurt them. But while he was getting the axe, I guess I stood too close, and the person kicked me so hard I fell over." He swallowed, remembering Stradeâs expression with a mixture of fear and affection that he still wasnât sure how to reconcile.
"All that sadistic glee from just a moment ago was suddenly gone. I'd never seen him that furious before. He shoved me aside and hacked the guy's leg off himself, and then uh...well he did the rest himself.â Ren looked back up at Rosie with a more serious look.
"I know he's impulsive anyway, but when he's really, truly angry, you can't reason with him. You can't trick him. He doesn't play games." That last bit made Rosie squirm a bit before she pulled him onto her lap.
âAnd you think...He'd murder me right away....â
âHe might.â Ren affirmed, reaching up to wipe his tears away from behind his glasses before they got all over the lenses. âAnd even if he doesn't, he'll defintely do something horrible.â He thought back to the recent incident with him scratching Rosie, and how Strade had casually theatened to remove Renâs claws entirely to prevent it from occurring again. He shivered. âSomething to make sure you never left.â When Rosie looked down at her foot, Ren followed her gaze, and silently agreed that was exactly what Strade would go for if he didnât kill her immediately. Â After a moment, Rosie rested her head against him.
âWhat do we do..." she whispered. Renâs ears fell a bit. He didnât have an answer, he wished he did. âIâll...â she continued. âI wonât do that again.â Pulling him into another hug, she added âBut only for you...â
The last bit stung as much as it soothed. On one hand, Ren was relieved heâd talked her out of trying something so reckless again, and touched that sheâd reconsider for him. But on the other...it was an unpleasant reminder that his own discomfort was the only reason she was keeping herself here longer instead of taking that risk. He hugged her back, trying to push the guilt away.
âThank you,â he replied softly. It was no use, he couldnât ignore it. If she was only staying for him, wasnât he trapping her here just the same? âYou don't have to give up,â he added. âI...I don't want you to give up. I just...we need to find something less risky." That was reasonable, right? Surely the could do something without taking unnecessary risks with Strade. They could be smart about this.
"Actually, speaking of which, how did you know he was so mellow when he was drunk? I don't think I ever told you..." he began, looking up at her and trailing off when he saw her coming toward him with a big smile. He wasnât sure what it was, maybe the way she moved, but for a split second, he almost thought she was going to kiss him. Like, on the mouth. She didnât of course; this wasnât one of his mangas. She probably didnât even like him like that. But she did plant a gentle kiss on his cheek, which made him smile warmly at her just the same.
"I uh...I was running an experiment,â she replied, looking a little bashful. "I figured I'd send you upstairs if he was a punchy drunk." Renâs smile faltered.
âWait, you...â Â So she didnât know?! Was she insane??! He almost let out a nervous laugh, but managed to keep it at a smile.Â
"God...Rosie you're so..." He sighed, moving closer to her again.
âAmazing...â She moved to meet him, resting her head on him and nuzzling slightly. His tail moved to lightly wrap around her.
âJust...please ask me next time. I might know something that could uh...help with your experimentâs hypothesis.â
âHe was ignoring me âcause Iâm a girl and I definitely know nothing about cars. You, however, my fluffy companion, have testicles, which means you know everything about cars~!â She rolled her eyes, though her smile and good mood remained.  âOoh thank you~ Those skills I definitely got from my mom.â As they approached IHOP, Rosie filled Ren in on what her parents did for a living, since they were now on the topic of her parents.  âMy mom works as an attorney, and my dad is a general contractor. They met because they had a mutual client~âÂ
After breakfast, Rosie and Ren bought boxes and bags and whatever theyâd need to start packing. They had until the end of the month to skedaddle, which wasnât a ton of time all things considered. After packing away things like books, movies, posters, toys, and other non-essentials, Rosie flopped onto her bed.
âYou know whatâŠI kinda forgot how much moving sucks. I think Iâm gonna call in the squad to help us.â The âsquadâ, as Ren would find out through a series of phone calls, included Rosieâs best friends. Marcia had an accent, though it wasnât impenetrable. She sounded energetic and was quick to volunteer her boyfriendâs assistance as well.  âOh thatâs great! Iâll be sure to make Chris something nice to snack on as thanks~â After Marcia came Arron, whoâs soothing voice crooned reassurances of assistance in between well-timed jabs and jokes. Â
âYouâll like them~â Rosie reassured Ren while they ate dinner.  âMarcia might be a little much at first, but sheâs got that infectious sort of energy. Aaron is friendly too, and heâs a good listener.â Actually, she was fairly certain that Aaron was going to take a particular liking to Ren. Aaron had a fondness for things that were small and cute, after all~
So that's what it was? It never even occured to him that it was a sexism thing...probably because he was never really seen as super manly. At least, not that he was aware of.
He was impressed to learn that her mother was an attorney though! He supposed that did explain some of her negotiation skills. He smiled when Rosie told him how they met; it was so cute! Like something out of a story.
After breakfast, Ren was able to get his stuff together relatively quickly, having just moved recently anyway. He helped Rosie pack however he could though, be it moving boxes or helping sort things. Her mentioning 'the squad' gave him pause, though he didn't say anything.
They all did sound very nice from what he heard on the phone calls, but he still had his doubts about actually meeting them.
As if reading his mind, Rosie suddenly responded to his unspoken concerns. He listened intently, and while he had little doubt that he would like her friends...
"They do all sound really cool," he admitted. "But...you really think they'll like me though? I guess it's just been a while since I've interacted with...with other people."
"And even then I was never very good at it..."
"....." Ugh, he had to pull it together before he completely killed the moodâassuming he hadn't already. He just had to think of something actionable, a starting place, a safe fallback. As long as he friends didn't hate him, that would be a success, right?
Rosie, a big fan of breakfast, quickly got caught up talking about what she liked to make.  Cheesy eggs, pancakes, waffles, stuffed french toast, sausage, croissants, fruit bowls, overnight oats, etc etc.  As they chatted, they worked on dinner, getting their meatloaf into the oven just in time to hear the car pulling into the driveway.  Rosie perked up, quickly setting down the green beans she was prepping and turning on the portable DVD player sheâd found in Stradeâs closet.  She loaded up the random movie sheâd found (thankfully not one of Stradeâs âspecialâ films) and skipped to about halfway in so it looked as though sheâd been watching it for a while.  With one last glance at her friend, she took a moment to get into character. Â
Strade opened the door while whistling. Â He carried about four bags, two in each hand, and dropped them onto the floor with a grin.
âCooking together?â Â He asked. Â Rosie looked up from the DVD player as if sheâd been engrossed in the program and had just been snapped back to reality.Â
âHey, welcome back. Â Yeah, Iâm making meatloaf and green beans. Â Heâs making potatoes. Â Is there anything else you want?â Â Rubbing his chin, he looked at their separate workstations before making his way over to Ren to eye up those potatoes.
Ren had a lovely time chatting with Rosie about this and that, but as soon as he heard the car pull into the driveway, his ears perked up, and the rest of him tensed up. He'd been pretty out of commission for a few days, so he had no doubt that Strade was itching to play with him again. He watched Rosie set down the food and turn on the DVD player, a little confused for a moment. When she skipped to part way through it though, he caught onâand honestly, he was kind of impressed. Talk about thinking on your feet! He managed to look away from Rose just before Strade came in, and tried to focus on potatoes he was preparing. As soon as Strade spoke though, he quickly looked over at him.
He tensed slightly when Strade walked over to him, but relaxed when he tossed the bacon onto the counter. With a small smile, he nodded, and reached out to start taking the bacon out of its package.Â
That smile vanished when he felt Stradeâs arms around him, not to mention the manâs whole body pushing him perilously close to the open flame. The feeling of Stradeâs teeth running along his ears made his whole body tense up, and his mind quickly started to race, desperately trying to find something to say to distract him. Before he could properly form words, Rosieâs voice caught him off-guard, and he glanced over toward her as best he could. Was she...trying to distract him? She must be.Â
After glancing up at Strade to make sure he wasnât looking at him, Ren chanced a smile small smile in Rosieâs direction. But that ended the moment she spoke again.
Even as Strade finally eased off him a bit, Renâs concern for Rosie outweighed his relief. Did she understand what she was doing? Did she even see Strade walking over to her??
Stradeâs little jab at him made his ears fall ever-so-slightly more, and his lips curl into a faint pout. He wasnât wrong though, Ren did like sweeter things, though he would drink some beer when offered. But his expression shifted right back to worry when Rosie challenged him again, though to his relief, Strade seemed to take it well. Maybe his curiosity won out?
â-
Sure enough, once they had all the ingredients, Rosie managed to get Strade to try some âgirlyâ drinks, and not a small amount either. Once heâd downed several drinks, Ren realized that Strade was actually getting drunk. Heâd only seen that happen once before, and it was honestly one of his more positive memories with Strade. Even with prior experience though, it was striking to watch him dance and sing like that, almost as if he were a different person entirely. And actually, come to think of it, how did Rosie know he was so relaxed when drunk? Surely she didnât do all this without knowing....right?
He was so taken watching the two dance that he was almost startled when Strade switched to him, but managed to move enough that Strade didnât trip over him. He popped right back up though, and Strade took the opportunity to grab him and lift him up, spinning him around just as he had Rosie. The sheer absurdity of it was what finally got Ren relaxed enough to giggle.Â
When Strade put him down again, he was smiling bigger than he had in some time, and looked over at Rosie without even checking first.Â
[Image Description: Fan illustration of Ren and Lawrence from Boyfriend to Death. Ren is in a T-shirt and braiding flowers into Lawrence's hair as the latter eyes him silently. End Image Description.]
[Image Description: Uncolored fan illustration of Ren Hana from Boyfriend to Death 2: Fresh Blood. He is smiling unsettlingly, blushing, and drooling a little as he says âAh~â€ïž You are one of those who cry! â€ïžâ There are additional hearts around the speech bubble. One of Renâs hands is grabbing onto the shirt under his jacket, and the other his raised in the air in a claw-like fashion. End Image Description.]
